animal behavior essay questions

Psychology Discussion

Essay on animal behaviour: top 6 essays | psychology.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Here is an essay on ‘Animal Behaviour’ for class 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Animal Behaviour’ especially written for school and college students.

Essay on Animal Behaviour

Essay Contents:

• Essay on the Control of Animal Behaviour

Essay # 1. Meaning and Approaches to Animal Behaviour:

Animal behaviour refers to the activities that animals perform during their lifetime, including locomotion, feeding, breeding, capture of prey, avoidance of predators, and social behaviour. Animals send signals, respond to signals or stimuli, carry out maintenance behaviour, make choices, and interact with one another.

Naturalists and philosophers have observed animal behaviour for centuries. Only in the last century, however, has there been significant progress in understanding this behaviour. One approach to the study of animal behaviour is comparative psychology. Comparative psychologists emphasize studies of the genetic, neural, and hormonal bases of animal behaviour.

Psychologists conduct experimental studies, in both laboratory and field settings, that relate to animal learning and to the development of behaviour. They explore how animals receive information, and the processes and nature of the behaviour patterns constituting the animals’ responses to their surroundings.

Ethology (derived from Greek word ethologica, means depicting character) is the study of animal behaviour that focuses on evolution and the natural environment. The leaders of this approach have been Konrad Lorenz, Niko Tinbergen, and Karl von Frisch, who were awarded the No­bel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1973.

Ethologists observe the behaviour of a variety of animals in their natural environments and study the behaviour of closely related species to consider the evolution and origin of certain behaviour patterns. Ethologists rarely deal with learning and are interested instead in animal communication, mating behaviour, and social behaviour.

Behavioural ecology emphasizes the ecological aspects of animal behaviour. Predator-prey interactions, foraging strategies, reproductive strategies, habitat selection, intraspecific and interspecific competition, and social behaviour are topics of interest to behavioural ecologists. Sociobiology is the study of the evolution of social behaviour. It combines many aspects of ethology and behavioural ecology. Sociobiologists emphasize the importance of natural selection on individuals living in groups.

Behavioural scientists frequently ask, “Why do animals do what they do?” More immediate ecological and physiological causes of behaviour, such as eating to satisfy hunger, are called proximate causes. Another level of causation in behaviour occurs on the evolutionary time scale and is that of ultimate causes. For example, a display not only attracts a mate, but also increases the likelihood of passing genetic information to the next generation.

Essay # 2. Application of Animal Behaviour:

Anthropomorphism is the application of human characteri­stics to anything not human. In observations of animals, assigning human feelings to animal behaviour is not likely to be accurate, especially with invertebrate animals. Consider the example of placing an earthworm on a fish­hook.

Does the fishhook hurt the earthworm, causing it to writhe in pain? Both of the descriptive words, hurt and pain are based on human experience and conscious awareness. A better explanation that reduces the anthropomorphic interpretation is that placing the earthworm on the hook stimulates certain receptors which generate nerve impulses that travel along reflex neural circuits.

The impulses stimulate muscles that allow the worm to wriggle in an attempt to escape from the hook. This explanation more closely describes what has been observed and does not attempt to suggest what the earthworm “feels.”

Essay # 3. Development of Animal Behaviour:

Development of a normal behaviour pattern requires the genes that code for the formation of the structures and organs involved in the behaviour. For example, in vertebrates, normal locomotion movements will not occur without proper development and growth of the limbs. This process requires some interaction with the animals’ environment because proper nourishment, water balance, and other factors must be maintained for normal development.

i. Maturation:

Some behaviour patterns appear only after a specific developmental stage or time. During maturation, performance of the behaviour pattern improves as parts of the nervous system and other structures complete development. A classic example is tail movement in frog embryos that are near hatching.

While still in the egg membranes, they start moving their tails as they would if they were swimming, and movement coordination improves with time. These improved movements are due to maturation, not practice or experience.

ii. Instinct/Learning Interactions:

In recent years, many behavioural scientists have concluded that both instinct and learning are important in animal behaviour. Interaction of inherited (i.e., instinctive) and learned components shapes a number of behaviour patterns. For example, young bobcats raised in isolation without the chance to catch live prey did not attack a white rat placed with them, unless the rat tried to escape.

At first, their attacks were not efficient, but after some experience, they were seizing prey by the neck and rapidly killing them. Apparently, learning refines inherited components of this behaviour.

Under normal conditions, the learning or experiences occur during play with littermates. Another example involving instinctive and learned components to behaviour is the nut-cracking behaviour of squirrels. Squirrels gnaw and pry to open a nut. Inexperienced squirrels are not efficient; they gnaw and pry at random on the nut. Experienced squirrels, however, gnaw a furrow on the broad side and then wedge their lower incisors into the furrow and crack the nut open.

iii. Imprinting:

During imprinting, a young animal develops an attachment toward another animal or object. The attachment usually forms only during a specific critical period soon after hatching or birth and is not reversible. Imprinting is a rapid learning process that apparently occurs without reinforcement.

Konrad Lorenz conducted experiments with geese in which he allowed the geese to imprint on him. The goslings followed him as though he was their mother. In nature, many species of birds in which the young follow the parent soon after birth use imprinting so that the young can identify with or recognize their parent(s). They can then be led successfully to the nest or to water. Both visual and auditory cues are important in imprinting systems.

Essay # 4. Role of Learning in Animal Behaviour:

Learning produces changes in the behaviour of an individual that are due to experience. Learning is adaptive because it allows an animal to respond quickly to changes in its environment. Once an animal learns something, its behavioural choices increase. An animal’s ability to learn may correlate with the predictability of certain characteristics of its environment.

Where certain changes in the habitat occur regularly and are predictable, the animal may rapidly respond to a stimulus with an unmodified instinctive behaviour. An animal would not necessarily benefit from learning in this situation. However, where certain environmental changes are unpredictable and cannot be anticipated, an animal may modify its behavioural responses through learning or experience.

This modification is adaptive because it allows an animal to not only change its response to fit a given situation, but also to improve its response to subsequent, similar environmental changes. Several different categories of learning have been identified, ranging from habituation (the simplest form of learning) to insight learning (the most complex form) that involves cognitive processes.

i. Habituation:

Habituation is the simplest and perhaps most common type of behaviour in many different animals. Habituation involves a waning or decrease in response to repeated or continuous stimulation. Simply, an animal learns not to respond to stimuli in its environment that are constant and probably relatively unimportant.

By habituating to unimportant stimuli, an animal conserves energy and time that are better spent on other important functions. For example, after time, birds learn to ignore scarecrows that previously caused them to flee. Squirrels in a city park adjust to the movements of humans and automobiles.

If the stimulus is withheld, then the response returns rapidly. Habituation does not involve any conditioning. Habituation is believed to be controlled through the central nervous system and should be distinguished from sensory adaptation. Sensory adaptation involves repeated stimulation of receptors until they stop responding. For example, if you enter a room with an unusual odour, your olfactory sense organs soon stop responding to these odours.

ii. Classical Conditioning:

In his classic experiment on the salivary reflex in dogs, Pavlov presented food right after the sound of a bell. After a number of such presentations, the dogs were conditioned— they associated the sound of the bell with food. It was then possible to elicit the dog’s usual response to food— salivation—with just the sound of the bell.

The food was a positive reinforcement for salivating behaviour, but responses could also be conditioned using negative reinforcement. Classical conditioning is very common in the animal kingdom. For example, birds learn to avoid certain brightly coloured caterpillars that have a noxious taste. Because birds associate the colour pattern with the bad taste, they may also avoid animals, with a similar colour pattern.

iii. Instrumental Conditioning:

In instrumental conditioning (also known as trial-and-error learning), the animal learns while carrying out certain searching actions, such as walking and moving about. For example, if the animal finds food during these activities, the food reinforces the behaviour, and the animal associates the reward with the behaviour. If this association is repeated several times, the animal learns that the behaviour leads to reinforcement.

A classic example of instrumental conditioning is that of a rat in a “Skinner box,” developed by B. F. Skinner, a prominent psychologist. When placed in the box, the rat begins to explore. It moves all about the box and, by accident, eventually presses a lever and is rewarded with a food pellet.

Because food rewards are provided each time the rat presses the lever, the rat associates the reward with the behaviour. Through repetition, the rat learns to press the lever right away to receive the reward. In this type of learning, the animal is instrumental in providing its own reinforcement.

In instrumental conditioning, providing the reinforcement (food) whenever the animal comes close to the lever and continuing to supply reinforcement when the animal touches the lever “shapes” the behaviour. Finally, the animal learns to press the lever to obtain food.

Young animals’ attempts to learn new motor patterns often involve instrumental conditioning. A young bird learning to fly or a young mammal at play may improve coordination of certain movements or behaviour patterns by practice during these activities.

iv. Latent Learning:

Latent learning, sometimes called exploratory learning, involves making associations without immediate reinforcement or reward. The reward is not obvious. An animal is apparently motivated, however, to learn about its surroundings. For example, if a rat is placed in a maze that has no food or reward, it explores the maze, although rather slowly.

If food or another reward is provided, the rat quickly runs the maze. Apparently, previous learning of the maze had occurred but remained latent, or hidden, until an obvious reinforcement was provided. Latent learning allows an animal to learn about its surroundings as it explores. Knowledge about an animal’s home area may be important for its survival, perhaps enabling it to escape from a predator or capture prey.

v. Insight Learning:

In insight learning, the animal uses cognitive or mental processes to associate experiences and solve problems. The classic example is the work of Wolfgang Kohler on chimpanzees that were trained to use tools to obtain food rewards.

One chimpanzee was given some bamboo poles that could be joined to make a longer pole, and some bananas were hung from the ceiling. Once the chimp formed the longer pole, it used the pole to knock the bananas to the cage floor. Kohler believed that the animal used insight learning to get the bananas.

In addition, Jane van Lawick-Goodall has observed chimpanzees in the wild using tools to accomplish various tasks. For example, they use crumpled leaves as a sponge for drinking water.

Essay # 5. Impact of Communication in Animal Behaviour:

Communication is the transfer of information from one animal to another. It requires a sender and receiver that are mutually adapted to each other. The animal acting as the sender must send a clear signal to the receiver. Communication can occur within species (intraspecific) or between species (interspecific).

Intraspecific communication in animals is especially important for reproductive success. Examples of interspecific communication include warning signals, such as the rattle of a rattlesnake’s tail and the skunk’s presentation of its hindquarters and tail.

Animals use a variety of modalities for communication, including visual, auditory, tactile, and chemical signals. Natural selection has influenced the characteristics of a signal system. Animals have evolved combinations of signals that may be more effective than any single signal.

i. Visual Communication:

Visual communication is important to many animals because a large amount of information can be conveyed in a short time. Most animals (e.g., cephalopod molluscs, arthropods, and most vertebrates other than mammals) with well-developed eyes have colour vision. Many fishes, reptiles, and birds exhibit brilliant colour patterns that usually have a signaling function.

Most mammals have plain, darker colours and lack colour vision because they are nocturnal, as were their probable ancestors-nocturnal insectivores. Primates are a notable exception in that they have both colour vision and colourful displays. A visual signal may be present at all times, as are the bright facial markings of a male mandrill.

The signal may be hidden or located on a less exposed part of an animal’s body, and then suddenly presented. Some lizards, such as green anoles, can actually change their colour through activities of pigment cells in the skin.

ii. Acoustic Communication:

Arthropods and vertebrates commonly use acoustic or sound communication. These animals must expend energy to produce sounds, but sounds can be used during night or day. Sound waves also have the advantage of travelling around objects, and may be produced or received while an animal is in the open or concealed.

Acoustic communication systems are closely adapted to the environmental conditions in which they are used and the function of the signal. For example, tropical forest birds produce low-frequency calls that pass easily through dense vegetation. Many primates in tropical forests produce sounds that, travel over long distances.

Other examples include the calls of territorial birds that sit on a high perch to deliver the signal more effectively and the alarm calls of many small species of birds. Some of the more complex acoustic signals that have been studied are birdsong and human speech.

iii. Tactile Communication:

Tactile communication refers to the communication between animals in physical contact with each other. The antennae of many invertebrates and the touch receptors in the skin of vertebrates function in tactile communication. Some examples of tactile communication are birds preening the feathers of other birds and primates grooming each other.

iv. Chemical Communication:

Chemical communication is another common mode of communication. Unicellular organisms with chemoreceptors can recognize members of their own species. Chemical signals are well-developed in insects, fishes, salamanders, and mammals.

Advantages of chemical signals are that they:

(i) Usually provide a simple message that can last for hours or days;

(ii) Are effective night or day;

(iii) Can pass around objects;

(iv) May be transported over long distances; and

(v) Take relatively little energy to produce.

Disadvantages of chemical signals are that they cannot be changed quickly and are slow to act.

Chemicals that are synthesized by one organism and that affect the behaviour of another member of the same species are called pheromones. Olfactory receptors in the receiving animal usually detect chemical signals. Many animals mark their territories by depositing odours that act as chemical signals to other animals of the same species.

For example, many male mammals mark specific points in their territories with pheromones that warn other males of their presence in the area. The same pheromones may also attract females that are in breeding condition. Differences in the chemical structure of pheromones may be directly related to their function.

Pheromones used for marking territories and attracting mates usually last longer because of their higher molecular weights. Airborne signals have lower molecular weights and disperse easily. For example, the sex attractant pheromones of female moths who are ready to mate are airborne, and males several kilometers away can detect them.

Essay # 6. Control of Animal Behaviour:

Internal mechanisms (proximate causes) that include the nervous system and the endocrine system regulate animal behaviour. These systems receive information from the external environment via the sensory organs, process that information involving the brain and the endocrine glands, and initiate responses in terms of motor patterns or changes in the operations of internal organs. In general, the nervous system mediates more specific and rapid responses, while the endocrine system monitors slower, more general responses.

i. Nervous Systems:

The structure of the nervous systems found in animals, and how the various parts function. The goal here is to examine the ways in which the nervous system is involved in behaviour. One key role for the nervous system is to act as a stimulus filter. Stimuli from many sources continuously bombard each organism.

The sensory organs and central nervous system of the animal block incoming stimuli that are unimportant or irrelevant. The information that passes through the sensory filters is then sorted and processed within the nervous system to ensure appropriate responses.

The manner in which blowflies feed illustrates how the nervous system mediates behaviour. The blowfly has special sensory receptors on its feet. As the fly moves around and encounters different substrates, the receptors can detect the presence of certain sugars.

The information from the feet is processed in the fly’s nervous system and results in the extension of the proboscis, which, in turn, stimulates the oral taste receptors, and the fly begins to feed. How does the fly know when to stop feeding? Without some feedback mechanism, the fly could continue to consume the sugar solution until it burst! Receptors in the blowfly’s foregut send a message to the fly’s brain when the foregut swells sufficiently.

The message is relayed to the nerves that control the feeding response, halting further intake of the sugar solution. Another example of how the nervous system regulates behaviour concerns the control of aggressive behaviour in rhesus monkeys. In one study, researchers identified the dominant male monkey in a group of four to six animals and then surgically implanted electrodes into the monkey’s brain regions involved in either eliciting or inhibiting aggressive behaviour.

Mild electrical stimulation to the monkey’s brain produced either aggressive or passive behaviours, depending on which electrode sent the message. The other monkeys in the group also could be trained to press a lever whenever the dominant monkey became aggressive. Pressing the lever sent a message to the brain of the dominant male that inhibited his aggression.

ii. Endocrine System:

In animals, the endocrine system is closely interrelated with the nervous system. Many receptors located on neurons in the brain or central nervous systems are specialized for receiving input from hormones. In addition, the brain communicates with the endocrine system via neurons, such as the connections between the hypothalamus and pituitary gland of vertebrates.

Other endocrine glands (e.g., the adrenals and gonads) are located throughout the body of the organism. Hormones, the products from the endocrine glands, affect behaviour in two major ways- organizational effects and activational effects.

Organizational effects of hormones occur during development and are particularly important for sex differentiation. These effects involve the presence of hormones and critical time periods during which the developmental pathways for specific brain regions and developing gonadal tissues are influenced to become either female- or male-like.

The major effect is such that at about the middle of gestation in most male mammalian embryos (e.g., guinea pigs, monkeys), the testes produce a surge of male hormone (testosterone). This organizes both other developing tissues and certain regions of the brain.

In the absence of a testosterone surge, female embryos develop more female-like characteristics in terms of external anatomy and brain regions important for sex differences. Genes normally turn on the production and release of testosterone in the tissues of the developing animal, but sometimes, the testosterone comes from an external source.

In cattle, a female embryo is masculinized if her twin is a male fetus. When his system turns on and releases testosterone during gestation, some of that hormone crosses over to affect the developing female. The result is a freemartin, a sterile heifer that exhibits a number of male like behaviour patterns.

In humans, some hormone treatments that used to be given to pregnant women who were in danger of losing their fetus resulted in masculinization of female embryos because the hormones injected as a medical treatment were converted to and acted like testosterone within the embryo.

Activational effects of hormones occur when an external stimulus triggers a hormonally mediated response by the organism. Many male fishes change colour patterns when their territory boundary is threatened; the colour change is a prelude to potentially aggressive behaviour to defend the territory.

Many animals, including domestic cats, roosters, and mice, lose their aggressive fighting ability after castration (removal of the gonads). The gonads are the source of testosterone, which stimulates particular brain receptors to produce aggression.

Related Articles:

• Essay on Behaviour Therapy: Top 5 Essays | Therapies | Psychology
• Essay on Motivation: Top 9 Essays | Human Behaviour | Psychology
• Essay on Human Behaviour: Top 5 Essays | Psychology
• Essay on Stress: Top 7 Essays | Human Behaviour | Psychology

Essay , Psychology , Animal Behaviour , Essay on Animal Behaviour

196 Animal Essay Topics & Animals Abuse Ideas

• 18 January 2024

Animal essay topics offer an incredibly diverse range of subjects for exploration and discussion. The complex world of animal behavior and cognition, for example, presents intriguing questions about the minds and emotional lives of different species. The critical issue of conservation, driven by deforestation, climate change, and poaching, invites scrutiny and advocacy. Likewise, topics centered around human-animal bonds and the therapeutic benefits of animal companionship can shed light on the emotional and psychological benefits of these relationships. Delving into these animal essay topics not only provides a good platform to express love and appreciation for the animal kingdom but also promotes crucial discussions about biodiversity, animal rights, and wildlife protection. From curious animal lovers to budding biologists, these topics offer a chance to engage with the wonders, challenges, and remarkable diversity of the animal world.

Best Animal Topics

• Conservation of Endangered Species: A Global Perspective
• Influence of Climate Change on Migration Patterns
• Coral Reef Ecosystems: Importance and Threats
• Ethical Considerations in Animal Testing
• Invasive Species and Their Effect on Biodiversity
• Disease Transmission Between Animals and Humans: Zoonotic Diseases
• Understanding Animal Communication and Language
• Adaptation Strategies of Desert Dwelling Creatures
• Marine Pollution: Effects on Aquatic Life
• Tracking Animal Population Dynamics Through Citizen Science
• Wildlife Trafficking and International Law
• Bee Colony Collapse Disorder: Causes and Consequences
• Genetic Diversity and Conservation of Rare Breeds
• Endocrinology of Stress in Captive Animals
• Effects of Deforestation on Primate Habitats
• Animal-Assisted Therapy: Benefits and Challenges
• Domestication and Its Genetic Implications in Animals
• Coping Mechanisms of Animals in Extreme Environments
• Birds of Prey and Their Ecological Significance
• Aquaculture Sustainability: Balancing Demand and Conservation

Simple Animal Topics

• Understanding the Social Structure of Ant Colonies
• Feeding Habits of Herbivorous Animals
• Life Cycle of the Monarch Butterfly
• Unique Defense Mechanisms in the Animal Kingdom
• Animal Habitats: From Deserts to Rainforests
• Migration Patterns of Arctic Birds
• Reptile Varieties and Their Characteristics
• Study of Amphibians: Frogs, Toads, and Salamanders
• Exotic Pets: Care and Ethical Considerations
• Exploring Nocturnal Animals and Their Adaptations
• Marine Life: A Glimpse Into the Deep Sea
• Mammalian Reproduction and Life Cycles
• Different Breeds of Domestic Dogs
• Hibernation and Estivation in Animals
• Bird Watching: Identifying Common Species
• Discovering Endangered Species on Our Planet
• Diet and Nutrition of Domestic Cats
• Understanding Animal Tracks and Signs
• Life in the Savanna: African Wildlife

Interesting Animal Essay Topics

• Exploring Speciation in Galapagos Finches
• Animal Sentience and Cognitive Capabilities
• Mimicry as a Survival Strategy in Nature
• Interpreting the Language of Dolphins
• Decoding the Dance of Honeybees
• Anthropomorphism: Human Perception of Animals
• Climate Change Effects on Polar Bear Populations
• Marsupial Diversity: Beyond Kangaroos and Koalas
• Biofluorescence and Bioluminescence in Deep-Sea Creatures
• Cryptic Species: Unraveling Hidden Biodiversity
• Wildlife Conservation Policies: Case Studies
• Symbiosis in Coral Reef Ecosystems
• Understanding Avian Navigational Abilities
• Extinct Megafauna and Their Ecological Roles
• Cephalopods: Masters of Camouflage and Deception
• Unveiling Mysteries of Animal Migration
• Animal Societies: Ant Colonies to Elephant Families
• Bizarre Mating Rituals in the Animal Kingdom
• The Biological Rationale Behind Animal Play Behavior
• Genetic Basis of Animal Domestication

Animal Research Topics for High School

• Exploring Birdsong: Music or Communication?
• Bats and Echolocation: A Deep Dive
• Insects as Indicators of Environmental Change
• Chimpanzee Social Structures and Behaviors
• Penguin Adaptations for Harsh Climates
• Exploring Threats to Sea Turtles Populations
• The Fascinating World of Spider Webs
• Investigating Adaptations in Desert Animals
• Venomous vs. Poisonous: Animals’ Defense Mechanisms
• Elephants: Intelligence and Emotional Capacity
• Dietary Habits of Carnivores, Herbivores, and Omnivores
• Snake Behavior: More than Just Slithering
• Study on Monarch Butterfly Migration Patterns
• Endangered Species and Conservation Efforts
• Bees and the Importance of Pollination
• Animal Camouflage: Examples and Effectiveness
• Dolphin Intelligence: Evidence and Examples
• Physiology of Flight in Birds
• Gorillas: Social Behavior and Habitat Loss
• Reptile Biodiversity in Rainforest Ecosystems

Animal Research Topics for College Students

• Marine Biology: The Complex Ecosystem of Coral Reefs
• Microorganisms in the Rumen of Cows: How They Aid Digestion?
• Animal Assisted Therapy: Benefits and Challenges
• Physiological Impact of Climate Change on Polar Bears
• Ethology: Aggression in Animal Species
• Cephalopods and Camouflage: An Exploration
• Study of Animal Cognition: Intelligence in Non-Primates
• Threats Facing the African Lion: Conservation Strategies
• Environmental Stressors and Their Effects on Amphibians
• Biotic Factors Influencing the Habitats of Whales
• Parasitology: Host-Parasite Relationships in Animals
• Investigation into the Social Behavior of Wolves
• Comparative Analysis of Primate Communication Systems
• Cross-Species Disease Transmission: From Animals to Humans
• Aquatic Toxicology: How Pollution Affects Aquatic Life
• Animal Welfare in Agriculture: Ethics and Practices
• Population Dynamics of the Snow Leopard in the Himalayas
• Exploration of Bioluminescence in Deep-Sea Creatures
• Hibernation Mechanisms in Mammals: A Comparative Study

Animal Essay Topics to Research

• Migration Patterns: Mystery of Monarch Butterflies
• Biodiversity Loss: Consequences for Global Ecosystems
• Chimpanzee Cultures: Differences Across Africa
• Eco-Physiology of Desert Creatures: Surviving Extreme Conditions
• Animal Ethics: Questioning the Use of Animals in Research
• Unraveling the Secrets of Dolphin Communication
• Birdsong and Neurobiology: Insights into Human Speech
• Peculiar Reproductive Strategies in the Animal Kingdom
• Killer Bees: An Invasive Species Spreading Fear
• Insects as Pollinators: Their Importance in Agriculture
• The Vitality of Sharks in Oceanic Food Chains
• Life Strategies of Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Fauna
• Venomous Creatures and Biomedical Research Opportunities
• Biomimicry: Nature’s Inspirations for Technological Advancements
• Hybridization in the Wild: Case of the Coywolf
• Decoding the Waggle Dance of Honeybees
• The Secret Lives of Bats: Echolocation and Beyond
• Resilience in Nature: How Animals Recover From Disaster
• Bioacoustics in Animal Communication: From Insects to Whales
• Predator-Prey Dynamics in African Savannah Ecosystems

Animal Argumentative Essay Topics

• Zoo Ethics: Animal Rights Versus Education Benefits
• Veganism versus Meat Consumption: Gauging the Ecological Footprint
• Is Pet Ownership Compatible With Animal Rights?
• Whale Hunting: Cultural Practice or Inhumane Act?
• Genetic Engineering: Crossing Ethical Boundaries With Designer Pets?
• Animal Sentience: Do We Underestimate Non-Human Intelligence?
• Animal Experimentation: Is There a Justifiable Trade-Off?
• Hunting for Conservation: Paradox or Viable Strategy?
• Aquariums as Conservation Tools: Are They Effective?
• Wild Animals as Pets: Exploring the Controversy
• Endangered Species Act: Time for an Overhaul?
• Factory Farming: Is the Price of Cheap Meat Too High?
• Feral Cats: Euthanasia Versus Trap-Neuter-Return Programs
• Rewilding Efforts: Romantic Ideal or Feasible Conservation Strategy?
• Animal Performance: Should Circuses Stop Using Animals?
• Emotional Support Animals: Right or Privilege?
• Dissecting Animals in Education: Essential Learning or Outdated Practice?
• Animal Cloning: Promising Technology or Ethical Misstep?
• Invasive Species Control: Is Eradication Ethically Defensible?
• Wildlife Tourism: Conservation Tool or Harmful Industry?

Animal Persuasive Essay Topics

• Promoting the Adoption of Shelter Animals Over Breeding
• Animal Rights: Is It Time to Rethink Meat Consumption?
• Fur Industry: Time to Take a Stand against Animal Cruelty
• Exotic Pet Trade: Advocating for Tighter Legislation
• Embracing Insect Eating as a Sustainable Food Source
• Shark Finning: A Call for Global Ban
• Zoos: Enforcing Higher Welfare Standards
• Dairy Industry: Unmasking the Cruelty Behind Milk
• Captivity versus Conservation: The Case Against Marine Parks
• Illegal Wildlife Trade: Implementing Stricter Penalties
• Hunting Trophies: Upholding the Ban on Imports
• Rodeos and Animal Cruelty: Time to Say No?
• Animal Dissection in Schools: Advocating for Virtual Alternatives
• Greyhound Racing: A Sport or Animal Exploitation?
• Vivisection: Encouraging the Use of Non-Animal Testing Methods
• Dog Breeding: The Case Against Purebreds
• Bullfighting: A Cultural Tradition or Barbaric Sport?
• Horse Carriages in Cities: Romantic Charm or Animal Abuse?
• Culling Wildlife: Arguing Against the “Overpopulation” Myth

Animal Abuse Essay Topics

• Dissecting the Psychological Factors Behind Animal Cruelty
• Preventing Animal Neglect: Insights and Interventions
• Animal Hoarding: An Understudied Form of Animal Cruelty
• Addressing Puppy Mills: A Look at Inhumane Breeding Conditions
• Blood Sports: Unveiling the Truth Behind Dog Fighting Rings
• Cockfighting: Its Hidden Costs and Damages to Animal Welfare
• Exotic Animal Trade: Unseen Agonies of Captive Wildlife
• Dolphin Slaughter in Drive Hunts: A Call for Action
• Live Animal Markets: Uncovering the Injustices
• Investigating the Dark Side of the Horse Racing Industry
• Factory Farming: The Harsh Reality Behind Our Meals
• Cruel Practices in the Wool Industry: Shedding Light on Shearing
• Unregulated Breeding of Exotic Pets: Addressing the Hidden Cruelty
• Fur Trapping: An Unnecessary Tradition in Modern Society
• Unmasking the Cruelty in the Foie Gras Industry
• Live Baiting Scandal in Greyhound Racing: A Call for Change
• Misuse of Animals in Tourist Attractions: Riding Elephants to Harm
• The Dark Side of Circuses: Life Behind the Big Top
• Unveiling Animal Abuse in the Movie Industry: A Push for Change

Animal Debate Topics

• Zoos and Animal Welfare: Ethical Perspectives
• Should Animal Testing Be Abolished in Biomedical Research?
• Biodiversity Conservation: The Imperative for Animal Rights
• Interdisciplinary Approaches to Reducing Stray Populations
• Exotic Pets Ownership: Freedom of Choice or Animal Exploitation?
• Animal Intelligence: Reevaluating Cognitive Capacities of Non-Human Species
• Symbiotic Relationship or Exploitation: Pets and Their Owners
• Aquariums and Marine Parks: Conservation or Captivity?
• Considering Veganism: Ethical Obligation or Personal Choice?
• Lab-Grown Meat: A Viable Solution to Reduce Farm Animal Suffering?
• Pesticides and Bee Colonies: Environmental Ethics and Responsibilities
• Should Animals Have Legal Rights Comparable to Humans?
• Birdsong and Language: Understanding Avian Communication
• Hunting for Conservation: A Paradox or Viable Strategy?
• Ecotourism: Opportunity for Wildlife Protection or Threat?
• Horse Racing Industry: Sport or Animal Abuse?
• Dolphin-Assisted Therapy: Healing or Harmful Practice?
• Culling for Conservation: Justifiable or Short-Sighted?
• Should Service Animals Be Used in Mental Health Therapy?
• Anthropocentrism and Environmental Ethics: Rethinking Our Approach to Animals

To Learn More, Read Relevant Articles

161 Gospel Topics, Essays, & Ideas

• 22 July 2023

332 Mental Health Essay Topics & Mental Illness Ideas

• 20 July 2023

If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website.

If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked.

To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser.

AP®︎/College Biology

Course: ap®︎/college biology   >   unit 8.

• Intro to animal behavior
• Innate behaviors
• Learned behaviors

Animal communication

• Animal behavior: foraging
• Responses to the environment
• Communication is when one animal transmits information to another animal causing some kind of change in the animal that gets the information.
• Communication is usually between animals of a single species, but it can also happen between two animals of different species.
• Animals communicate using signals , which can include visual; auditory, or sound-based; chemical, involving pheromones ; or tactile, touch-based, cues.
• Communication behaviors can help animals find mates, establish dominance, defend territory, coordinate group behavior, and care for young.

Introduction

Communication takes many forms.

• Pheromones—chemicals
• Auditory cues—sounds
• Visual cues
• Tactile cues—touch

Auditory signals

• Monkeys cry out a warning when a predator is near, giving the other members of the troop a chance to escape. Vervet monkeys even have different calls to indicate different predators.
• Bullfrogs croak to attract female frogs as mates. In some frog species, the sounds can be heard up to a mile away!
• Gibbons use calls to mark their territory, keeping potential competitors away. A paired male and female, and even their offspring, may make the calls together.

Visual signals

Tactile signals—touch, what is communication used for.

• Obtaining mates. Many animals have elaborate communication behaviors surrounding mating, which may involve attracting a mate or competing with other potential suitors for access to mates. See more information. Communication behaviors surrounding mating are often highly ritualized. For instance, a male may perform an intricate dance, show off decorative features—such as bright patches or elaborate patterns—or perform a characteristic song to attract a female. Similarly, males may compete with each for mates other using ritualized display behaviors , which usually involve posturing and gestural or vocal "threats" rather than actual fighting.
• Establishing dominance or defending territory. In many species, communication behaviors are important in establishing dominance in a social hierarchy or defending territory. See more information. Communication, for example, may allow disputes over status or territory to be settled without the need for fighting. By posturing, vocalizing, or making aggressive gestures, both participants make a relatively honest advertisement of their ability and willingness to fight. This allows both parties to size each other up, and the weaker may voluntarily back down.
• Coordinating group behaviors. In social species, communication is key in coordinating the activities of the group, such as food acquisition and defense, and in maintaining group cohesion. See more information. Communication may be used, for example, to direct other group members to a food source. Honeybee foragers use the waggle dance for this purpose, and ants use pheromone trails. Pack-hunting predators, such as wolves, also communicate to capture prey as a group. Group members may signal to coordinate defensive behaviors. For example, this is the case when a crushed ant incites other ants to swarm, or when a monkey gives an alarm call upon spotting a predator. Communication behaviors can also maintain cohesion within a group or establish social bonds and relationships. For instance, grooming among primates fosters cooperation and cohesion among group members.
• Caring for young. Among species that provide parental care to offspring, communication coordinates parent and offspring behaviors to help ensure that the offspring will survive. See more information. Tactile signals exchanged between newborn animals and their mothers, for example, trigger the mother to provide food and may also stimulate the formation of parent-child bonds through hormone release. Gull chicks tapping on the red spots on their parents' beaks—see article on innate behavior —is another example of a communication behavior that favors the survival of offspring.

Attribution

• " Behavioral biology: Proximate and ultimate causes of behavior " by OpenStax College, Biology, CC BY 4.0 ; download the original article for free at http://cnx.org/contents/[email protected] .
• " Communication behavior in animals " by Douglas Wilkin and Jean Brainard, CC BY-NC 3.0

Works cited

• Eric Gillam, "An Introduction to Animal Communication," Nature Education Knowledge 3, no. 10 (2011): 70, http://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/an-introduction-to-animal-communication-23648715 .
• Peter Tyson, "Dogs' Dazzling Sense of Smell," Nova, last modified October 4, 2012, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/dogs-sense-of-smell.html .
• Duncan E. Jackson and Francis L. W. Ratnieks, "Communication in Ants," Current Biology 16, no. 15 (2006): R570-R574, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2006.07.015 .
• "Trail Pheromone," Wikipedia, last modified April 11, 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trail_pheromone .
• "Ant," Wikipedia, last modified June 18, 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant .
• "Chemical Pheromone Communication Between Ants," antARK, accessed June 18, 2016, https://antark.net/ant-life/ant-communication/ant-pheromones/ .
• "Dog Communication," Wikipedia, last modified June 17, 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_communication .
• "Dog Behavior," Wikipedia, last modified June 9, 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_behavior .
• "Whale Vocalization," Wikipedia, last modified June 8, 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_vocalization .
• Marina Haynes and Cassandra Moore-Crawford, "Animal Behavior Laboratory Exercise 8 Communication," ANSC 455: Applied Animal Behavior, accessed June 18, 2016, http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~wrstrick/secu/ansc455/lab8.htm .
• SparkNotes Editors, “Signal Types: Mechanisms and Relative Advantages (page 2),” SparkNotes, accessed May 27, 2016, http://www.sparknotes.com/biology/animalbehavior/signalingandcommunication/section2/page/2/ .
• John R. Meyer, "Tactile Communication," General Entomology, accessed June 18, 2016, https://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent425/tutorial/Communication/tactcomm.html .
• "Social Grooming," Wikipedia, last modified June 13, 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_grooming .
• David Krueger and Lanlan Jin, "Adaptive Value," Social Grooming in Primates, accessed June 18, 2016, http://www.reed.edu/biology/professors/srenn/pages/teaching/web_2008/dklj_site_final/adaptive.html .
• Beth Vanhorn and Robert Clark, "Instinctive Behaviors," in Veterinary Assisting Fundamentals & Applications (Clifton Park: Delmar/Cengage Learning, 2011), 517.

Want to join the conversation?

• Upvote Button navigates to signup page
• Downvote Button navigates to signup page
• Flag Button navigates to signup page

• Mardigian Library
• Subject Guides

PSYC 372: Animal Behavior

• Write Your Evolution Essay
• Online Library Access
• Develop Your Hypothesis
• Find Articles
• What is Peer-Review?
• Read & Analyze Your Articles
• Select Your Articles
• Use Your Articles
• Avoid Plagiarism
• Cite in APA Style
• Write Your Annotations
• Write Your Zoo Essay
• Browse Journals

Nadine Anderson, Behavioral Sciences and Women's & Gender Studies Librarian

Writing Your Whale Evolution Essay

1.  Introduction : summarizes what you will write and puts it into context

• Start the introduction with background that contextualizes the paper's main research questions (posed by Dr. Dolins in your assignment description)
• End the introduction with a thesis statement, which outlines the main points of the paper and how you will address them

2.  Body : presents the main points of the paper, with each paragraph representing one aspect of the paper's main focus. Prioritize and organize your main points and paragraphs to logically build your evidence and answers to a compelling conclusion. Each paragraph should include a topic sentence, evidence, analysis, and a transition sentence:

• The topic sentence summarizes the paragraph's main idea
• Use evidence from the virtual Whale Evolution exhibit, the articles Dr. Dolins listed and linked to in your assignment description, and your own research sources to build your evidence and answers to the research questions posed by Dr. Dolins
• Analyse your evidence to show how it makes you think about the research questions posed by Dr. Dolins
• Include a transition sentence at the end of each paragraph to connect what you discussed in that paragraph with the main idea of the next paragraph

3.  Conclusion : summarizes what you wrote and what you learned

• Restate the research questions from the introduction in different words
• Briefly summarize your main points or arguments and pull them together to answer the research questions posed by Dr. Dolins
• End with a strong, final statement that ties the whole essay together and makes it clear the paper has come to an end
• No new ideas should be introduced in the conclusion, it should only review and analyze the main points from the body of the paper (with the exception of suggestions for further research)

4.  References list : a list of the sources you cited 

• Cite your sources in APA Style
• Format your References list in APA Style

For more writing help, contact  the Writing Center   and  make an online appointment  to meet with one of their consultants.

• << Previous: Write Your Annotations
• Next: Write Your Zoo Essay >>
• Last Updated: Apr 30, 2024 10:11 AM
• URL: https://guides.umd.umich.edu/psyc372

Call us at 313-593-5559

Chat with us

Text us: 313-486-5399

Email us your question

• 4901 Evergreen Road Dearborn, MI 48128, USA
• Phone: 313-593-5000
• Maps & Directions
• M+Google Mail
• Emergency Information
• UM-Dearborn Connect
• Wolverine Access

• Abnormal Psychology
• Assessment (IB)
• Biological Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Criminology
• Developmental Psychology
• Extended Essay
• General Interest
• Health Psychology
• Human Relationships
• IB Psychology
• IB Psychology HL Extensions
• Internal Assessment (IB)
• Love and Marriage
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Prejudice and Discrimination
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Research Methodology
• Revision and Exam Preparation
• Social and Cultural Psychology
• Studies and Theories
• Teaching Ideas

Exam Question Bank: HL Extension Bio – Animal Studies

Travis Dixon April 4, 2019 Biological Psychology , IB Psychology HL Extensions , Revision and Exam Preparation

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

One, two or all three essay questions in Paper 1, Section B will be based on the extension topics.

Biological Approach: Animal Research

Remember that the extension questions are created by combining the HL extension topics with the three topics in each of the approaches.  Biological extension topics: “The role of animal research in understanding human behaviour” The value of animal models in psychological research Whether animal research can provide insight into human behaviour Ethical considerations in animal research Biological approach topics: The brain and behaviour Hormones and pheromones and behaviour Genetics and behaviour  

HL Bio Approach Exam Questions

Brain and behaviour .

• Discuss the value of animal models in psychological research on the brain and behaviour.
• To what extent can animal models provide insight into the relationship between the brain and human behaviour?

Hormones and pheromones and behaviour 

• Discuss the value of animal models in psychological research on hormones and/or pheromones and behaviour.
• Discuss ethical considerations in animal research on hormones and pheromones and behaviour.
• To what extent can animal models provide insight into relationships between hormones and/or pheromones and human behaviour?

Genetics and behaviour 

• Discuss the value of animal models in psychological research on genetics and behaviour.
• Discuss ethical considerations in animal research on genetics and behaviour.
• To what extent can animal models provide insight into the relationship between genetics and behaviour?
• Discuss the role of animal research in understanding human behaviour.
• Discuss ethical considerations in animal research in the biological approach to understanding human behaviour.
• To what extent can animal models provide insight into human behaviour?

READ MORE  IB Psychology Exam Question Banks

• Paper 1: Biological approach ( Link )
• Paper 1: Cognitive approach ( Link )
• Paper 1: Sociocultural approach ( Link )
• Paper 1: HL Ext Bio Animal Studies ( Link )
• Paper 1: HL Ext Cog Technology & Cognition ( Link )
• Paper 1: HL Ext Soc/cult Globalization ( Link )
• Paper 2: Human Relationships ( Link )
• Paper 2: Abnormal Psychology ( Link )

This page has been taken from our revision textbook, “IB Psychology: A Revision Guide” available now from our online store.

Order your copy at https://store.themantic-education.com/

Disclaimer : These questions are not IB “official” questions and are written with our best guess as to what the probable exam questions may look like. Therefore, not every possible question is covered.

Travis Dixon is an IB Psychology teacher, author, workshop leader, examiner and IA moderator.

• Customer Reviews
• Extended Essays
• IB Internal Assessment
• Theory of Knowledge
• Literature Review
• Dissertations
• Essay Writing
• Research Writing
• Assignment Help
• Capstone Projects
• College Application
• Online Class

Argumentative Essay Topics About Animals: 20+ Ideas (For 2023)

by  Antony W

May 2, 2023

The guide to writing an argumentative essay about animals doesn’t change. You’ll use the same structure, which has an introduction, a body section, and a conclusion. You’ll outline your ideas and thoughts in a logical order and present reasonable evidence to support your claim based on your stance.

Before you start working on the essay, though, you’ll need to come up with the right topic to investigate. The most common approach to finding the best topic to explore is to brainstorm ideas. However, this can be time consuming and tedious, especially if you have to involve friends and other students in the brainstorming process.

To make things easy for you, we’ve put together a list of 30+ debatable topic ideas on animals. Now all you have to do is look through the list and choose a topic you’re confident you can explore within the respective timeframe.

Best Argumentative Essay Topics on Animals

The following is a list of 30 argumentative essay topics on animals. All you have to do is to go through the list and choose a topic you feel is worth exploring.

General Argumentative Essay Topics on Animals

• Can humans improve the lives of captive animals?
• Is it lawful to keep ocean marine in captivity?
• Can humans fully protect the endangered species?
• Animal fashion should be illegalized.
• Is animal dissection a useful learning tool for students?
• Can the cross breeding of animal be a sustainable business in the long-term?
• Whaling should be outlawed globally.
• Should people have exotic pets?
• Is taking animals to a zoo an inhumane act?
• The punishment for poaching wild animals should be increased.
• Should animal keepers encourage the genetic modification of livestock
• Is the genetic modification of domestic animals potentially dangerous for humans?
• Are factory farms responsible for the active spread of influenza diseases among chicken and other domestic animals?
• Is it right to use animal for medical studies and scientific experiments?
• People should not use animals for the purpose of entertainment
• Animals don’t have feelings
• Do humans have the responsibility to protect the animals they use for medical or experimental tests?
• Are companion animal good for people who are lonely?
• Is it right to breed foxes into companion animals?
• Can medics justify the concept of animal testing?
• Is the tether of dogs outside an act of neglects and therefore inhumane?
• Can aquarists keep fish in goldfish bowls without temperature controls or filters?
• Animal dissection should be illegal
• Is the factory farm treatment of animals an inhumane act?
• Can you keep animals caught in the wild as pets?
• You can wear leather or fur provided the animals were raised in humane conditions.
• Is it right or acceptable to use higher animals like chimpanzees and monkeys in laboratory research?
• Scientists should not use primates and sophisticated vertebrates in lab research
• It’s unethical to do medical tests on human creatures
• We should never take medicine if we must save animals from medical experiments

From general issues and cruelty to behavior and overall rights, you can write quite a lot about animals.

Sadly, the research process isn’t often as easy. So if you want to get the paper completed on time, but you’re already running late on the deadline, our argumentative essay writing service can be of good help. 

Our writers focus on custom writing, with the goal being to give you the best value by ensuring you have a complete draft that you can easily refine and transform into your own voice. You can order an essay here and we will help you get it written fast.

Argumentative Essay Topics on Animal Cruelty

• Do animals spread infections once subjected to chemical tests in laboratory experiments?
• Do lab technicians subject animals to inhumane treatment in laboratory experiments?
• Is chemical application on animals the reason for their quick extinction?
• International convention on animals are completely irrelevant
• Biotechnology poses serious threats to animals
• Should we enforce rules to protect animals against inhumane cruelty on legal grounds?
• Tribal people harm animals more for their personal needs
• People who don’t follow the rules created to save animals from human cruelty should be punished
• Are developed countries less cruel towards animals compared to the underdeveloped states?
• Should we propose alternatives to animal experiments?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Animal Behavior

• Can the behavior of animals towards humans change if people treat them with love and passion for a long time?
• Animal behavior towards human change due to the excessive exploitation done to them by humans.
• Can humans receive compassion from animals in exchange for treating them well?
• Are all animals harmless unless they get an instinct of a possible eminent danger towards them?
• Do animals have a negative perception about human beings?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Animal Rights

• There are no international laws that protect animals from harmful activities by humans
• Are animal rights only valid in documents?
• Developed countries respect animal rights more than developing countries do
• Are the people responsible for making animal rights law the same individuals involved in putting animal lives in danger?
• Many anima specie succumb to unnatural deaths on the hands of humans
• Should there be a provision of proper care for the wounded animals?
• Should we advocate for the banning of traditional practices
• Are animal conventions taking enough action against the rich people who take part in exploiting animals?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Animal

• The actions taken in the favor of animal species a mere show off.
• Only the endangered species receive attention in the conservation of animals
• Experts’ effort to converse and protect animal species are not successful by any means
• The authorities are must on the exploitation of animal species that are about to be extinct
• Are artificial habitats safe enough for the conservation of animal species in the endangered categories?
• An animal species cannot breed in an artificial environment
• Can we save almost extinct animal species from extinction by means of natural habitats?
• Giving animals food and habitat is not enough to camping for their conservation

Related Reading

• Music Argumentative Essay Topics
• Argumentative Essay Topics on Racism
• Best Argumentative Essay Topics
• Argumentative Essay Topics on Technology

Final Words

There you have it, a list of 30+ argumentative essay topics about animals that you can start to explore right away.

We’ve spent a lot of time brainstorming and looking these up so that you don’t have to spend your time doing the same.

We hope the list help you get the overall best topic to focus on if you choose to write an essay that argue about animals.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

Animal Behavior

Animal behavior and the meaning of life, behaviors across species have meaning and purpose beyond the need for survival..

Posted December 28, 2020

This blog post addresses behavior across all animal species. It considers what we can learn about behavior when we do not limit our study to just humans. Studying nonhuman animal behaviors is something that often can be done in much more strict, objective ways than studying human behaviors. We can study nonhuman animals for longer periods of time without objection and can be much more rigid in choosing where and when we study the behaviors. Given that we can be much more scientific in how we study nonhuman animals, it is worth considering how much we can learn about behavior, regardless of what species we are considering, from that sort of study.

Studying nonhuman animal behavior to determine how it applies to all behaviors, including human behaviors, warrants asking about purpose. If we are asking what all behaviors have in common, then it is also useful to ask if all these behaviors have the same purpose. Questioning the purpose of behaviors then leads to deeper questions about the meaning of why we do anything at all. All animals sleep, wake up and then start doing things. They then go to sleep and start the whole process over again. What all animals do during the day follows similar rules — these are the rules that govern behavior, and it is worth looking at whether they are all done for similar purposes.

“Why are we here?” “What is the meaning of life?” These are questions that are unique to human beings. Other animal species do not ask questions like these. But not asking the questions does not mean that other animals do not have meaning or purpose. And it does not mean that their behaviors are meaningless. It just means that the questions themselves about purpose and meaning may be unnecessary.

Asking questions about meaning does not increase the actual meaning that exits. And being able to answer the question in complex ways does not actually mean that the answer has to be that complex. It may just be that the individual has decided that a more straightforward and direct answer can never do and that the answer has to be complex.

When we look at human behaviors and nonhuman behaviors, it all clearly has a purpose. Humans behave in certain ways for a variety of reasons. Nonhumans also behave in certain ways for a variety of reasons. Even though the ultimate meaning of these behaviors may differ, what does not differ is that the behaviors do have some meaning. There are purpose and meaning to behaviors of all species, and that purpose and meaning are there even if the species cannot explain, or even question, what they are.

Looking at behaviors across all animal species can be tricky because behaviors across species are often so different. What behaviors are exhibited can vary so much that it can be very difficult to see what they have in common. Identifying the commonalities can be very important, even if it is difficult, for understanding what we mean by “behaviors” and how we can go about changing behaviors.

All behaviors are directed in some ways to help members of a species survive and reproduce. That is at the heart of what is taught with evolution. It is also at the heart of what is meant by phrases like “survival of the fittest.” This is a phrase meant to reflect that members of species develop physical, cognitive and/or emotional traits that make it more likely that they will be able to take advantage of what is in their environment to help them thrive and survive.

When scientists use phrases like “survival of the fittest,” it can be pretty depressing. For one reason, the phrase suggests that strength, however that is defined, is the primary ingredient needed for survival. All other factors seem to become secondary. And then, for another reason, it suggests that surviving is the only reason animals, including human animals, exist. Suggesting that the only purpose of existing is to keep surviving is a pretty depressing thought. Almost like the answer to the question about meaning is “we exist so that we can keep on existing.”

Lacking a real purpose to life is actually one of the most limiting features of evolution. When evolution is described by scientists, they usually stop at survival as being the only reason that any animal, and really any living thing, exists. Everything in evolution is directed towards survival and we all evolve as a way of continuing to exist. It is hard not to think of all this as reflecting that survival is the only purpose of life. When we ask the question “What is the meaning of life?” from an evolutionary perspective, much of what scientists say indicates that the answer is “surviving.”

But, I would say that this is a misinterpretation of what all this really means. Much of evolution in the natural world is geared to survival. When we evolve as a species we do so as a way of making it more likely that we will survive and have offspring. Changes among all animal species are directed to making it more likely that the individual members of the species will survive.

Survival is the purpose of evolution but that does not mean it is the purpose of life. Saying that we evolve to make it more likely that we survive does not mean that is the only reason we evolve. Species evolve to increase their likelihood of survival but the reasons why the species exist, and why they would need to survive, goes beyond that point.

It is often said that every living thing has a purpose in this world, and when you look at the whole world, it is hard to argue that point. All animal species seem to have a purpose. That purpose may, as is the case with humans, be to try and make the world better. Or it may be that the purpose, as in the case of many types of insects, is to keep control over what happens in nature. Many animal species have the main purpose of being food for other animal species.

Saying that being a source of food for another animal species may be counter-intuitive when thinking about meaning. But if some animal species have the role of changing the world or keeping the world running, then having sources of food to keep them healthy would be an important purpose. One species could not maintain their purpose without having the other species available as a food source. Each species plays its role and each role is important.

Humans are not the only species that have a purpose in this world. They are not the only species whose life has meaning. Where humans differ is that we are the only species that thinks about and questions their purpose and meaning of life. Other animal species have meaning but do not take time and effort thinking about and questioning it. All other animal species go on living their meaningful lives without questioning what that meaning is.

If you think about this you should realize that being the only species that thinks about meaning and purpose is not always a good thing. Questioning whether your life has meaning does not actually make your life more meaningful than another individual who does not question. Humans can get bogged down with anxiety and depression as they question whether their lives have meaning and how to bring more purpose to their lives. Nonhuman animals have just as much purpose and meaning in their lives but do not get bogged down in worrying what those purposes and meanings are.

All of this suggests that one thing human and nonhuman animals have in common is that they are behaving and living their daily lives with purpose. It is hard to say for sure but it is not difficult to imagine that every animal, regardless of what they are doing, has some sort of purpose in their daily life. What may differ is what purpose their lives serve. And what also differs is whether the purpose an animal species serves is one that another species would necessarily see as important. There also is the difference about whether any other species, compared to humans, actually asks any questions about whether there is purpose in what they do.

But living a purposeful life does not mean that anyone else has to see that life as purposeful. And living a purposeful life does not mean that it has to serve a similar purpose to what other species serve. Our world is complex and it takes many different roles to make it run the way it should. If every species served the same purpose, the world would likely come to a screeching halt. Species are interconnected but that connection does not mean they are all doing the same thing. And living a purposeful life does not even mean that you have to ask whether you are living a purposeful life.

It is also the case that living a purposeful and meaningful life does not mean that you have to live what someone would call a “long” life. Evolution stresses survival but it typically stresses this as optimal survival. Species seek changes and behaviors that maximize survival but surviving an “optimal” life does not always mean surviving for as long as possible.

In fact, if you look at survival and its importance in evolution, one of the main purposes of survival is reproduction. Individuals seek to survive in large part so they can reproduce. But it is useful to note here that surviving as long as possible does not mean having the possibility of reproducing for that long. Most animal species have ages where the chance of reproducing is highest and then the chances go down as the individuals get older. We see this in humans when we consider that most humans live a large percentage of their lives when they are physically unable to reproduce. These are mostly also times where the human offspring would be able to survive on their own, so the parents’ survival is not in any way tied to the offspring's survival.

There are a lot of questions out there about the purpose of species and the purpose of behaviors. And when scientists draw conclusions about purpose and meaning, those conclusions are often pretty general and leave out a lot of answers. Making statements about survival and reproduction being important is useful but does not answer questions about why survival would be a purpose by itself and why members of species continue to work for survival past the point where they are able to reproduce or contribute in any meaningful way to their offspring’s survival.

But, as I stated early, an individual being able to ask questions about why species exist, why they do what they do and what purpose and meaning exist behind their survival and behaving, does not in any way relate to whether there are actually answers to those questions. Even agreeing about whether the meaning behind a species existing and surviving is actually meaningful does not mean that it is not meaningful. It just means you are able to ask the question, not that you are necessarily able to answer it correctly. Keeping in mind that meaning in the universe does not require that any one individual agree with that meaning can be both humbling and useful.

Viktor Frankl is the founder of a school of psychology called “logotherapy” and his approach focuses considerably on the importance of meaning. What is interesting is that he notes that human and nonhuman animals often act in similar ways and for similar reasons. Humans differ in that they are the only species that ask questions about meaning and have concerns about whether their lives do have meaning. Other animal species do not ask these questions or show concern about their answers. But even Frankl’s writings, even with their stress on the importance of meaning and purpose, do not equate asking questions about meaning and actually having meaning. Showing the ability to change our behaviors based on questions about meaning is certainly a human strength, but it is not the only thing that actually gives our lives and behaviors meaning and purpose. Meaning and purpose exist for all species, even if they are not able to ask questions about meaning and purpose.

All of this is important for considering behaviors across animal species. We can say for certain that virtually all behaviors have specific goals . They are all geared towards accomplishing something. And those goals are all directed towards more global meaning and purpose. For all species, that meaning and purpose relate in some way towards survival and reproduction. What meaning and purpose there are beyond survival and reproduction differs for each species. When we look at the world and its interconnectedness, we can say with reasonable certainty that each species has purpose beyond just survival. We can also say that each species has purpose that in some way contributes to the world functioning the way it should.

All members of all species share similar rules to behaviors. They all share that their behaviors are directed towards some purpose and meaning. It may be that the purpose and meaning is something that other species would, if they could communicate an opinion, consider important. But having meaning that others do not consider important does not actually make it less important. And being able to ask questions about meaning does not make an individual less important. Each species is involved in some way to making the world run like it should and knowing that we are all working in some way towards that goal helps make all our behaviors more understandable.

Dr. Daniel Marston is a psychologist and author of Comparative Psychology for Clinical Psychologists and Therapists . He focuses on applying comparative psychology research to clinical practice.

• Find a Therapist
• Find a Treatment Center
• Find a Psychiatrist
• Find a Support Group
• Find Online Therapy
• United States
• Brooklyn, NY
• Chicago, IL
• Houston, TX
• Los Angeles, CA
• New York, NY
• Portland, OR
• San Diego, CA
• San Francisco, CA
• Seattle, WA
• Washington, DC
• Asperger's
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chronic Pain
• Eating Disorders
• Passive Aggression
• Personality
• Goal Setting
• Positive Psychology
• Stopping Smoking
• Low Sexual Desire
• Relationships
• Child Development
• Therapy Center NEW
• Diagnosis Dictionary
• Types of Therapy

Understanding what emotional intelligence looks like and the steps needed to improve it could light a path to a more emotionally adept world.

• Emotional Intelligence
• Gaslighting
• Affective Forecasting
• Neuroscience

72 Dog Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

To find good research titles for your essay about dogs, you can look through science articles or trending pet blogs on the internet. Alternatively, you can check out this list of creative research topics about dogs compiled by our experts .

🐩 Dog Essays: Things to Consider

🏆 best dog titles for essays, 💡 most interesting dog topics to write about, ❓ questions about dog.

There are many different dog essays you can write, as mankind’s history with its best friends is rich and varied. Many people will name the creatures their favorite animals, citing their endearing and inspiring qualities such as loyalty, obedience, bravery, and others.

Others will discuss dog training and the variety of important roles the animals fulfill in our everyday life, working as shepherds, police members, guides to blind people, and more.

Some people will be more interested in dog breeding and the incredible variety of the animals show, ranging from decorative, small Yorkshire terriers to gigantic yet peaceful Newfoundland dogs. All of these topics are interesting and deserve covering, and you can incorporate all of them a general essay.

Dogs are excellent pet animals, as their popularity, rivaled only by cats, shows. Pack animals by nature, they are open to including members of other species into their groups and get along well with most people and animals.

They are loyal to the pack, and there are examples of dogs adopting orphaned kittens and saving other animals and children from harm.

This loyalty and readiness to face danger makes them favorite animals for many people, and the hundreds of millions of dogs worldwide show that humans appreciate their canine friends.

It also allows them to work many important jobs, guarding objects, saving people, and using their noses to sniff out various trails and substances.

However, dogs are descended from wolves, whose pack nature does not prevent them from attacking those outside the group. Some larger dogs are capable of killing an adult human alone, and most can at least inflict severe harm if they attack a child.

Dogs are trusted and loved because of their excellent trainability. They can be taught to be calm and avoid aggression or only attack once the order is given.

They can also learn a variety of other behaviors and tricks, such as not relieving themselves in the house and executing complex routines. This physical and mental capacity to perform a variety of tasks marks dogs as humanity’s best and most versatile helpers.

The variety of jobs dogs perform has led humans to try to develop distinct dog breeds for each occupation, which led to the emergence of numerous and different varieties of the same animal.

The observation of the evolution of a specific type of dog as time progressed and its purposes changed can be an interesting topic. You can also discuss dog competitions, which try to find the best dog based on various criteria and even have titles for the winners.

Comparisons between different varieties of the animal are also excellent dog argumentative essay topics. Overall, there are many interesting ideas that you can use to write a unique and excellent essay.

Regardless of what you ultimately choose to write about, you should adhere to the central points of essay writing. Make sure to describe sections of your paper with dog essay titles that identify what you will be talking about clearly.

Write an introduction that identifies the topic and provides a clear and concise thesis statement. Finish the paper with a dog essay conclusion that sums up your principal points. It will be easier and more interesting to read while also adhering to literature standards if you do this.

Below, we have provided a collection of great ideas that you can use when writing your essays, research papers, speeches, or dissertations. Take inspiration from our list of dog topics, and don’t forget to check out the samples written by other students!

• An Adventure with My Pet Pit-Bull Dog “Tiger” One look at Tiger and I knew that we were not going to leave the hapless couple to the mercies of the scary man.
• Dogs Playing Poker The use of dogs in the painting is humorous in that the writer showed them doing human things and it was used to attract the attention of the viewer to the picture.
• Debates on Whether Dog is the Best Pet or not The relationships between dogs and man have been improving over the years and this has made dogs to be the most preferable pets in the world. Other pets have limited abilities and can not match […]
• Dog Food: Pedigree Company’s Case The attractiveness of the dog food category is manifested through the intense competitive nature of the various stakeholders. The third and final phase of the segmentation is to label the category of dog food as […]
• Breed Specific Legislation: Dog Attacks As a result, the individuals that own several canines of the “banned” breeds are to pay a lot of money to keep their dogs.
• Animal Cruelty: Inside the Dog Fighting In most cases the owner of the losing dog abandons the injured dog to die slowly from the injuries it obtained during the fight. The injuries inflicted to and obtained by the dogs participating in […]
• The Benefits of a Protection Dog Regardless of the fact that protection dogs are animals that can hurt people, they are loving and supportive family members that provide their owners with a wide range of benefits.
• Cats vs. Dogs: Are You a Cat or a Dog Person? Cats and dogs are two of the most common types of pets, and preferring one to another can arguably tell many things about a person.
• “Love That Dog” Verse Novel by Sharon Creech In this part of the play, it is clear that Jack is not ready to hide his feelings and is happy to share them with someone who, in his opinion, can understand him.
• Cesar Millan as a Famous Dog Behaviorist Millan earned the nickname “the dog boy” because of his natural ability to interact with dogs. Consequently, the dog behaviorist became a celebrity in different parts of the country.
• “Marley: A Dog Like No Other” by John Grogan John Grogan’s international bestseller “Marley: A Dog Like No Other” is suited for children of all ages, and it tells the story of a young puppy, Marley, who quickly develops a big personality, boundless energy, […]
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time Haddon therefore manages to carry the reader into the world of the novel and holds the reader to the end of the novel.
• Compare and Contrast Your First Dog vs. Your Current Dog Although she was very friendly and even tried to take care of me when I was growing up, my mother was the real owner.
• Small Dog Boarding Business: Balanced Scorecard Bragonier posits that SWOT analysis is essential in the running of the business because it helps the management to analyze the business at a glance.
• Moral Dilemma: Barking Dog and Neighborhood Since exuberant barking of Stella in the neighborhood disturbs many people, debarking is the appropriate measure according to the utilitarian perspective.
• Dog Training Techniques Step by Step The first step that will be taken in order to establish the performance of this trick is showing the newspaper to the dog, introducing the desired object and the term “take”.
• How to Conduct the Dog Training Properly At the same time, it is possible to work with the dog and train it to perform certain actions necessary for the owner. In the process of training, the trainer influences the behavior of the […]
• The Great Pyrenees Dog Breed as a Pet In the folklore of the French Pyrenees, there is a touching legend about the origin of the breed. The dog will not obey a person of weak character and nervous.
• Dog Food by Subscription: Service Design Project For the convenience and safety of customers and their dogs, customer support in the form of a call center and online chat is available.
• “Everyday” in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Haddon The novel presents Christopher who passes through many changes in his life, where he adapts to it and acclimatizes the complications that come with it.
• A Dog’s Life by Charles Chaplin The theme of friendship and love that is clear in the relationship between Tramp and Scraps. The main being that Chaplin makes it very comical thus; it is appealing to the audience, and captures the […]
• What Dog Are You? All of them possess individual traits that have to suit the profile and character of the owner for them to create a harmonious and beneficial union and to feel comfortable together first of all, every […]
• Why Does Your Dog Pretend to Like You? Children and the older generation can truly cherish and in the case of children can develop as individuals with the help of dogs.
• Caring for a Dog With Arthritis For Monty, the dog under study, the size, and disposition of the dog, the stage of the disease as also its specific symptoms and behaviour need to be observed and then a suitable choice of […]
• Dog House: Business Law Today Based on the definition of a shareholder’s derivative suit, it is possible to say that corporations can be expected to benefit from this type of litigation.
• “Traditional” Practice Exception in Dog Act One of those who wanted the word to remain in the clause was the president of the Beaufort Delta Dog Mushers and also an Inuvik welder.Mr.
• “How to Draw a Dog” Video Lecture Critique The video begins with an introduction to the character that the artist is going to draw. The artist provides a more detailed description of the process later when he begins to draw dog’s eyebrows and […]
• Small Dog Boarding Business: Strategic Plan Based on the first dimension of the competing values framework, the dog boarding business already has the advantage of a flexible business model, it is possible to adjust the size of the business or eliminate […]
• Non-Profit Dog Organization’s Mission Statement In terms of the value we are bringing, our team regards abandoned animals who just want to be loved by people, patients with special needs, volunteers working at pet shelters, and the American society in […]
• “Dog’s Life” by Charlie Chaplin Film Analysis In this film, the producer has used the comic effect to elaborate on the message he intends to deliver to the audience. The function of a dog is to serve the master.
• Dog’ Education in “The Culture Clash” by Jean Donaldson The second chapter comes under the title, Hard-Wiring: What the Dog comes with which tackles the characteristic innate behaviors that dogs possess naturally; that is, predation and socialization. This chapter sheds light on the behaviors […]
• Implementing Security Policy at Dog Parks To ensure that people take responsibility for their dogs while in the parks, the owners of the parks should ensure that they notify people who bring their dogs to the park of the various dangers […]
• Operant Conditioning in Dog Training In regards to negative enforcements, the puppy should be fitted with a collar and upon the command “sit”, the collar should be pulled up a bit to force the dog to sit down.
• First in Show Pet Foods, Inc and Dog Food Market Due to the number of competitors, it is clear that First in Show Pet Food, Inc.understands it has a low market share.
• Animal Assisted Therapy: Therapy Dogs First, the therapist must set the goals that are allied to the utilization of the therapy dog and this should be done for each client.
• The Tail Wagging the Dog: Emotions and Their Expression in Animals The fact that the experiment was conducted in real life, with a control group of dogs, a life-size dog model, a simultaneous observation of the dogs’ reaction and the immediate transcription of the results, is […]
• The Feasibility Analysis for the Ropeless Dog Lead This is because it will have the ability to restrict the distance between the dog and the master control radio. The exploration of different sales models and prices for other devices indicates that the Rope-less […]
• Classical Conditioning: Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks According to Basford and Stein’s interpretation, classical conditioning is developed in a person or an animal when a neutral stimulus “is paired or occurs contingently with the unconditioned stimulus on a number of occasions”, which […]
• The Movements and Reactions of Dogs in Crates and Outside Yards This study discusses the types of movements and reactions exhibited by dogs in the two confinement areas, the crate and the outside yard.
• A Summary of “What The Dog Saw” Gladwell explores the encounters of Cesar Millan, the dog whisperer who non-verbally communicated with the dogs and mastered his expertise to tame the dogs.
• Border Collie Dog Breed Information So long as the movement of the Border Collies and the sheep is calm and steady, they can look for the stock as they graze in the field.
• Evolution of Dogs from the Gray Wolf However, the combined results of vocalisation, morphological behavior and molecular biology of the domesticated dog now show that the wolf is the principle ancestor of the dog.
• Attacking Dog Breeds: Truth or Exaggeration?
• Are Bad Dog Laws Unjustified?
• Are Dog Mouths Cleaner Than Humans?
• Can Age Affect How Fast a Dog Runs?
• Can Chew Treats Kill Your Dog?
• Can You Control Who the Alpha Dog Is When You Own Two Dogs?
• Does Drug Dog Sniff Outside Home Violate Privacy?
• Does the Pit Bull Deserve Its Reputation as a Vicious Dog?
• Does Your Dog Love You and What Does That Mean?
• Does Your Dog Need a Bed?
• How Can People Alleviate Dog Cruelty Problems?
• How Cooking With Dog Is a Culinary Show?
• How Can Be Inspiring Dog Tales?
• How Owning and Petting a Dog Can Improve Your Health?
• How the I-Dog Works: It’s All About Traveling Signals?
• What Can Andy Griffith Teach You About Dog Training?
• What Makes the Dog – Human Bond So Powerful?
• What the Dog Saw and the Rise of the Global Market?
• What Should You Know About Dog Adoption?
• When Dog Training Matters?
• When Drug Dog Sniff the Narcotic Outside Home?
• At What Age Is Dog Training Most Effective?
• Why Are People Choosing to Get Involved in Dog Fighting?
• Why Are Reported Cases of Dog-Fighting Rising in the United States?
• Why Dog Attacks Occur and Who Are the Main Culprits?
• Why Does Dog Make Better Pets Than Cats?
• Why Every Kid Needs a Dog?
• Why Should People Adopt Rather Than Buy a Dog?
• Why Could the Dog Have Bitten the Person?
• Will Dog Survive the Summer Sun?
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, February 26). 72 Dog Essay Topic Ideas & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/dog-essay-examples/

"72 Dog Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." IvyPanda , 26 Feb. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/dog-essay-examples/.

IvyPanda . (2024) '72 Dog Essay Topic Ideas & Examples'. 26 February.

IvyPanda . 2024. "72 Dog Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." February 26, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/dog-essay-examples/.

1. IvyPanda . "72 Dog Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." February 26, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/dog-essay-examples/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "72 Dog Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." February 26, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/dog-essay-examples/.

• Animal Rights Research Ideas
• Inspiration Topics
• Animal Welfare Ideas
• Wildlife Ideas
• Emotional Development Questions
• Zoo Research Ideas
• Endangered Species Questions
• Human Behavior Research Topics

162 Best Animal Research Topics To Nail Your Paper In 2023

The world is filled with living things. There are some animals that we know about, some that we will discover, and there are many that we might never know about. All our knowledge about animals is mostly dependant on researchers. Well, we are rooting for you to be the next great researcher. Be it zoology, veterinary, or live wild stock, your study needs a research topic. If you’re looking for the best animal research topics to nail this year, we’re here with your help.

Table of Contents

Best Animal Research Topics

We have 162 Animal Research Topics that will help you get the best grades this year.

Physiology of Animals Research Topics

• Description of the knowledge required to work in animal physiology
• Study of animal species with different specialties in the sciences of nature and life
• Life sciences and socioeconomic impacts
• Neurulation appendages birds
• Exercises on gastrulation and neurulation
• Gastrulation amphibians birds
• Fertilization segmentation in the sea species
• Gametogenesis: A Detailed Introduction
• Study of Delimitation: bird appendages
• Particularities of the developmental biology of certain species
• Technical-commercial animal physiology
• Terrestrial and marine ecosystems
• Animal biology and forensic science: Is there a connection?
• Animal Biology Biotechnology and molecules of interest regarding food and industry
• The interest in biology in the diagnosis of animal and plant diseases
• Toxicology and environmental health concerns in animal physiology
• Animal and plant production
• Fundamentals of animal physiology research and analysis
• Behavior and evolution Genetics of behavior in animals
• Adaptation and evolution of behavior
• Comparative studies of general ecology, zoology, and animal physiology
• Study of animals about the conditions prevailing in their immediate environment
• Endocrine and neuroendocrine systems in animals
• Studying the nervous systems in birds
• Genitals and reproductive physiology of birds
• Understanding of the anatomical and functional particularities of invertebrates
• Biology and physiology of invertebrates
• Reconstruction of phylogenetic trees
• Morpho-anatomical arguments and the importance of fossils
• Argued classification of animals
• Study of the evolution of living organisms by making updates on recent advances in Animalia
• Phylogeny and animal evolution
• Principles of echolocation in the bats
• Possible evolution of the increase in complexity of the primitive nervous system
• The nervous system of the insect
• Circulation in animal physiology
• Animals without a differentiated circulatory system
• Water and mineral balance in animals
• Thermoregulation in animals
• Musculoskeletal system in animals
• Study of animal blood
• Biological rhythms of animals
• Skin and teguments of mammals
• Animal nutrition and metabolism
• Hormones and endocrine system of animals
• Emerging organic pollutants
• Mechanisms of toxicity in animals
• Animal physiology in animals from temperate regions
• Genetic correlations between animal species
• Animal communities, forest ecology, and forest birds
• Wildlife-habitat modeling

Looking for research topics in general? Read 402  General Research Paper Topics

Animal Research Topics For Student

• Impact of the agricultural raw materials crisis on the marketing of livestock feed
• Analysis of the competitiveness of poultry produced in the USA
• Animal cruelty in USA and European countries
• Seroprevalence of neosporosis in cattle herds
• The peri-urban dairy sector
• Effect of the liberalization of the veterinary profession on the vaccination coverage of livestock
• Why do people kill animals? The psyche behind animal cruelty
• Evaluation of the growth performance of three sheep breeds
• Study on the protection of terrestrial ecosystems
• Ecology of African dung beetles
• Effects of road infrastructure on wildlife in developing countries
• Analysis of the consequences of climate change related to pastoral livestock
• Strategies for management in the animal feed sector
• The feeding behavior of mosquitoes
• Bee learning and memory
• Immediate response to the animal cruelty
• Study of mass migration of land birds over the ocean
• A study of crocodile evolution
• The cockroach escape system
• The resistance of cockroaches against radiation: Myth or fact?
• Temperature regulation in the honey bee swarm
• Irresponsible dog breeding can often lead to an excess of stray dogs and animal cruelty
• Reliable communication signals in birds

Also see:  How to Write an 8 Page Research Paper ?

Animal Research Topics For University

• Color patterns of moths and moths
• Mimicry in the sexual signals of fireflies
• Ecophysiology of the garter snake
• Memory, dreams regarding cat neurology
• Spatiotemporal variation in the composition of animal communities
• Detection of prey in the sand scorpion
• Internal rhythms in bird migration
• Genealogy: Giant Panda
• Animal dissection: Severe type of animal cruelty and a huge blow to animal rights
• Cuckoo coevolution and patterns
• Use of plant extracts from Amazonian plants for the design of integrated pest management
• Research on flying field bug
• The usefulness of mosquitoes in biological control serves to isolate viruses
• Habitat use by the Mediterranean Ant
• Genetic structure of the  African golden wolf  based on its habitat
• Birds body odor on their interaction with mosquitoes and parasites
• The role of ecology in the evolution of coloration in owls
• The invasion of the red swamp crayfish
• Molecular taxonomy and biogeography of caprellids
• Bats of Mexico and United States
• What can animal rights NGOs do in case of animal cruelty during animal testing initiatives?

Or you can try 297 High School Research Paper Topics to Top The Class

Controversial Animal Research Topics

• Is it okay to adopt an animal for experimentation?
• The authorization procedures on animals for scientific experiments
• The objective of total elimination of animal testing
• Are there concrete examples of successful scientific advances resulting from animal experimentation?
• Animal rights for exotic animals: Protection of forests and wildlife
• How can animal rights help the endangered animals
• Animal experimentations are a type of animal cruelty: A detailed analysis
• Animal testing: encouraging the use of alternative methods
• Use of animals for the evaluation of chemical substances
• Holding seminars on the protection of animals
• Measures to take against animal cruelty
• Scientific research on marine life
• Scientific experiments on animals for medical research
• Experimentation on great apes
• Toxicological tests and other safety studies on chemical substances
• Why isn’t research done directly on humans rather than animals?
• Are animals necessary to approve new drugs and new medical technologies?
• Are the results of animal experiments transferable to humans?
• Humans are not animals, which is why animal research is not effective
• What medical advances have been made possible by animal testing?
• Animals never leave laboratories alive
• Scientific interest does not motivate the use of animal research
• Animal research is torture 
• How can a layperson work against the animal testing?

Every crime is a controversy too, right? Here are some juicy  Criminal Justice Research Paper Topics  as well.

Animal Research Topics: Animal Rights

• Growing awareness of the animal suffering generated by these experiments
• What are the alternatives to animal testing?
• Who takes care of animal welfare?
• Major global organizations working for animal rights
• Animal rights in developing countries
• International animal rights standards to work against animal cruelty
• Animal cruelty in developing countries
• What can a layperson do when seeing animal cruelty
• Role of society in the prevention of animal cruelty
• Animal welfare and animal rights: measures taken against animal cruelty in developing countries
• Animal cruelty in the name of science
• How can we raise a better, empathetic and warm-hearted children to put a stop to animal cruelty
• Ethical animal testing methods with safety
• Are efforts being made to reduce the number of animals used?
• The welfare of donkeys and their socioeconomic roles in the subcontinent
• Animal cruelty and superstitious conceptions of dogs, cats, and donkeys in subcontinent
• Efforts made by international organizations against the tragedy of animal cruelty
• International organizations working for animal welfare
• Animal abuse: What are the immediate measures to take when we see animal cruelty
• Efforts to stop animal abuse in South Asian Countries
• Animal abuse in the name of biomedical research

Talking about social causes, let’s have a look at social work topics too: 206  Social Work Research Topics

Interesting Animal Research Topics

• The urbanization process and its effect on the dispersal of birds:
• Patterns of diversification in Neotropical amphibians
• Interactions between non-native parrot species
• Impact of landscape anthropization dynamics and wild birds’ health
• Habitat-driven diversification in small mammals
• Seasonal fluctuations and life cycles of amphipods
• Animal cruelty in African countries
• Evolution of the environmental niche of amphibians
• Biological studies on Louisiana crawfish
• Biological studies on Pink bollworm
• Biological studies on snails
• Biological studies on Bush Crickets
• Biological studies on Mountain Gorillas
• Biological studies on piranha
• Consequences of mosquito feeding
• Birds as bioindicators of environmental health
• Biological studies on victoria crowned pigeon
• Biological studies on black rhinoceros
• Biological studies on European spider
• Biological studies on dumbo octopus
• Biological studies on markhor
• Study of genetic and demographic variation in amphibian populations
• Ecology and population dynamics of the blackberry turtle
• Small-scale population differentiation in ecological and evolutionary mechanisms
• Challenges in vulture conservation

Also interesting: 232  Chemistry Research Topics  To Make Your Neurochemicals Dance

Submarine Animals Research Topics

• The physiology behind the luminous fish
• A study of Fish population dynamics
• Study of insects on the surface of the water
• Structure and function of schools of fish
• Physiological ecology of whales and dolphins
• Form and function in fish locomotion
• Why do whales and dolphins jump?
• Impact of Noise on Early Development and Hearing in Zebrafish
• Animal cruelty against marine life on the hand of fishermen

Read More:  Accounting Research Topics

Animal Biology Research Topics

• Systematic and zoogeographical study of the ocellated lizards
• Morphological study of neuro histogenesis in the diencephalon of the chick embryo
• Anatomical study of three species of Nudibranch
• The adaptive strategy of two species of lagomorphs
• The Black vulture: population, general biology, and interactions with other birds
• Ocellated lizards: their phylogeny and taxonomy
• Studies on the behavior of ocellated lizards in captivity
• Comparative studies of the egg-laying and egg-hatching methods of ocellated lizards
• Studies on the ecology and behavior of ocellated lizards
• The taxonomic and phylogenetic implications of ocellated lizards
• Research on the egg-laying and egg-hatching methods of ocellated lizards
• Studies on the ecology and behavior of ocellated lizards in their natural environment
• Comparative studies of the egg-laying and egg-hatching methods of ocellated lizards in different countries
• Studies on the ecology and behavior of ocellated lizards in their natural environment in the light of evolutionary and ecological insights

Animal research topics are not hard to find for you anymore. As you have already read a load of them. You can use any of them and ace your research paper, and you don’t even need to ask permission. If you are looking for a research paper writing service , be it animal research, medical research, or any sort of research, you can contact us 24/7.

Order Original Papers & Essays

Your First Custom Paper Sample is on Us!

Timely Deliveries

No Plagiarism & AI

100% Refund

Try Our Free Paper Writing Service

Related blogs.

Connections with Writers and support

Privacy and Confidentiality Guarantee

Average Quality Score

We use cookies to enhance our website for you. Proceed if you agree to this policy or learn more about it.

• Essay Database >
• Essay Examples >
• Essays Topics >
• Essay on Education

Animal Behavior Essay

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Education , Behavior , Experiment , Study , Animals , Perception , Animal Behavior , Concept

Published: 03/10/2020

ORDER PAPER LIKE THIS

Discussion Questions: Neural Mechanisms and Animal Behavior

1. There are different factors to consider when studying how animals behave and adapt to their surroundings. Different animals have their respective perceptions and their way of encountering information, so the concept of dependent, independent, and controlled variables might come into play (Mackenzie 41). Therefore, examining the perception of each animal may depend on changing situations. One variable important in the study of animal behavior is their circadian mechanisms. Any formulated hypotheses and experimental findings could be critical in studying the adaptation of animals and their methods of stimulus filtering that occur at specific intervals. The concept of personification may have a significant factor in the study as both humans and animals share a common neural mechanism of our senses of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. 2. Why it is more important to be more objective than to be more anthropomorphic when studying animal behavior? Anthropomorphism may be a substance of an animal behavior experiment. Anthropomorphism may be limited only to the study because the animals’ neural senses, instincts and the structure are identical to the human nervous system. In other terms, anthropomorphic claims may fall under the objectives of any experiment depending on the variables. It is also important to be objective when studying animal behavior because the idea of anthropomorphism can elicit assumptions (Mackenzie 41). Anthropomorphism may correlate to perception in some way. In science, perceived data can only lead you to formulation of conclusions, and there may be no instances of further study undertaken in an experiment.

Works Cited

Mackenzie, Donald. (2014, Sept. 9) “Creation Legend of Sun Worshippers.” Dialogues of Belief and Reason Level 200. 1st ed. Eds. Michael Lewis and Thomas Ferstle. Boca Raton, FL: Lynn University, 2014. 44-55. Web.

Cite this page

Share with friends using:

Removal Request

Finished papers: 2664

This paper is created by writer with

ID 274700732

If you want your paper to be:

Well-researched, fact-checked, and accurate

Original, fresh, based on current data

Eloquently written and immaculately formatted

275 words = 1 page double-spaced

Get your papers done by pros!

Other Pages

Post traumatic stress disorder essay, example of computer security disaster recovery plan research paper, example of essay on the school guidance, research paper on what economic system is best suited for handling a crisis of epic proportion, essay on vogue fashion night out, aspect of contract and negligence for business essay example, free essay on chakravarti ashok aid institutions and development new approaches to growth, strategic choices at hd motorcycle corporation report example, example of report on marketing and communication campaign for iya beach hotels resorts, risk stratification case study sample, example of news report, example of report on career path, example of the hunger games report, essay on marketing environment paper opening a new fast food restaurant, essay on legalizing prostitution, and not and not are referred to as boolean operators critical thinking sample, example of comparison and contrast of buddhism daoism and confucianism essay, the globalization of starbucks case study examples, current 10th amendment issues positive nullification and federal law report examples, democracy in egypt essay example, summer versus winter driving essay, iphone review essay sample, example of creative writing on the special connection between my grandmother and me, supporting messages with quality information course work examples, good essay on shaping the soccer ball, good example of essay on adult learning development, good glaxosmithkline research paper example, free research paper about economic analysis, obesity in america a bigger issue than we think argumentative essay examples, good essay on no, cybersecurity essay, lysias essays, manjusri essays, estrin essays, behind bars essays, allio essays, baise essays, political rights college essays, charisma college essays, operant college essays, ellen college essays, sanitary college essays.

Password recovery email has been sent to [email protected]

Use your new password to log in

You are not register!

By clicking Register, you agree to our Terms of Service and that you have read our Privacy Policy .

Now you can download documents directly to your device!

Check your email! An email with your password has already been sent to you! Now you can download documents directly to your device.

or Use the QR code to Save this Paper to Your Phone

The sample is NOT original!

Short on a deadline?

Don't waste time. Get help with 11% off using code - GETWOWED

No, thanks! I'm fine with missing my deadline

Deciphering Human Behavior: the Pitfalls of Overlooking Context in Assessing Actions

This essay about the complexities of human behavior explores the dangers of oversimplification and the importance of considering context in understanding actions. Through real-life examples and critical analysis, it highlights how overlooking context can lead to misjudgments and perpetuate harmful stereotypes. From interpersonal relationships to the criminal justice system, the essay emphasizes the need for empathy, active listening, and systemic changes to promote fairness and justice in society.

How it works

In the intricate dance of human behavior, deciphering motives and intentions often feels akin to navigating a labyrinth without a map. Every action, every word spoken, is laden with layers of meaning, influenced by an array of factors ranging from personal history to societal norms. Yet, in our quest to understand, we frequently overlook the crucial element of context, inadvertently falling prey to the pitfalls that accompany such oversight.

Imagine a scenario: A woman hurriedly cuts in line at a grocery store, eliciting murmurs of disapproval from those around her.

At first glance, one might hastily label her as rude or inconsiderate. However, delve deeper, and the context begins to unveil a different narrative. Perhaps she is a single mother, juggling multiple jobs while struggling to provide for her family. Maybe her child is sick at home, and she’s racing against time to fetch medication before the pharmacy closes. Suddenly, her seemingly brash action takes on a different hue, colored by the complexities of her circumstances.

This illustration encapsulates the essence of the issue at hand: the danger of oversimplification in our interpretation of human behavior. Too often, we rely on surface-level observations and snap judgments, neglecting the rich tapestry of context that underpins every action. In doing so, we risk mischaracterizing individuals and perpetuating harmful stereotypes.

One of the primary pitfalls of overlooking context lies in the realm of interpersonal relationships. Consider the case of a heated argument between friends, sparked by a seemingly innocuous comment. Without considering the underlying dynamics of their friendship or the stressors each may be facing in their personal lives, it’s easy to attribute blame and escalate tensions further. However, by taking a step back and considering the broader context – perhaps one friend is undergoing significant stress at work, while the other is grappling with family issues – a more empathetic and constructive approach to resolving the conflict can emerge.

Moreover, the failure to account for context can have far-reaching implications in various domains, including academia, politics, and the criminal justice system. In research settings, for instance, overlooking contextual factors can lead to skewed conclusions and flawed methodologies. Similarly, in the political arena, policies devised without a nuanced understanding of the socioeconomic context risk exacerbating inequality and marginalization.

Perhaps most concerning are the ramifications within the criminal justice system, where the consequences of misinterpretation can be dire. Take, for example, the sentencing disparities that persist along racial lines. Studies have shown that black individuals are disproportionately subjected to harsher penalties for the same offenses as their white counterparts, a phenomenon exacerbated by the failure to consider the systemic factors that contribute to their circumstances.

In light of these pitfalls, it becomes imperative to adopt a more holistic approach to understanding human behavior – one that acknowledges the multifaceted nature of individuals and the myriad influences that shape their actions. This necessitates a willingness to suspend judgment, engage in active listening, and cultivate empathy.

Practically speaking, this entails fostering environments conducive to open dialogue and mutual understanding, whether in the context of interpersonal relationships, academic discourse, or policymaking. It involves actively seeking out diverse perspectives and challenging our own preconceived notions, recognizing that truth often lies at the intersection of multiple narratives.

Furthermore, it requires a reevaluation of existing structures and systems to ensure they account for the complexities of human behavior. This may involve implementing training programs to enhance cultural competency and empathy within institutions such as law enforcement and healthcare. It may also entail revisiting sentencing guidelines and parole procedures to mitigate biases and promote fairness in the criminal justice system.

Ultimately, deciphering human behavior is an inherently complex endeavor, fraught with challenges and uncertainties. Yet, by embracing the nuanced interplay of context and exercising empathy and understanding, we can navigate this terrain with greater clarity and compassion. In doing so, we not only enrich our understanding of ourselves and others but also cultivate a more just and equitable society.

Cite this page

Deciphering Human Behavior: The Pitfalls of Overlooking Context in Assessing Actions. (2024, May 12). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/deciphering-human-behavior-the-pitfalls-of-overlooking-context-in-assessing-actions/

"Deciphering Human Behavior: The Pitfalls of Overlooking Context in Assessing Actions." PapersOwl.com , 12 May 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/deciphering-human-behavior-the-pitfalls-of-overlooking-context-in-assessing-actions/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Deciphering Human Behavior: The Pitfalls of Overlooking Context in Assessing Actions . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/deciphering-human-behavior-the-pitfalls-of-overlooking-context-in-assessing-actions/ [Accessed: 15 May. 2024]

"Deciphering Human Behavior: The Pitfalls of Overlooking Context in Assessing Actions." PapersOwl.com, May 12, 2024. Accessed May 15, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/deciphering-human-behavior-the-pitfalls-of-overlooking-context-in-assessing-actions/

"Deciphering Human Behavior: The Pitfalls of Overlooking Context in Assessing Actions," PapersOwl.com , 12-May-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/deciphering-human-behavior-the-pitfalls-of-overlooking-context-in-assessing-actions/. [Accessed: 15-May-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Deciphering Human Behavior: The Pitfalls of Overlooking Context in Assessing Actions . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/deciphering-human-behavior-the-pitfalls-of-overlooking-context-in-assessing-actions/ [Accessed: 15-May-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers